phyir mi 'ong ba - Non-returner

The third classification of those who have seen emptiness directly as a means of personal liberation is phyir mi 'ong ba, non-returner.

We looked at the phyir 'ong ba earlier, so anyone who wants to go through the translation could look at that posting.

Anyway, note the mi in the middle of this word, by placing this negation in front of 'ong ba, to arrive, it makes it the opposite, not to return.

In general, if you learn a term or construct, it's usually easy to find the opposite by the use of negation particles in Tibetan.

Anyone who is a phyir mi 'ong ba is someone who has taken involuntary rebirth into the desire realm. They will achieve personal liberation, Nirvana.

As for where they are headed next, this is a debate topic in the monasteries, usually it's either into the Form or Formless realms, or then not, as they are no longer part of Samsara -- hence the debate! Actually, the only ones that could communicate with these high beings are fully enlightened Buddhas, and this is in form of persuasion and subtle influences -- getting them to wake up from this state with the notion that everything has to be perfected sooner or later, and that is full enlightenment in the Universal Compassion tradition, to benefit all sentient beings.